Compound rotary engine.



.Patented Mar. 6, I900. A. WATKINS.

COMPOUND ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Apr. 3,, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheat L,

No. 644,837. I Patented Mar. 6, I900. A. WATKINS.

COMPOUND ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Apr. 3, 1899.) (No Model.)- 3 Sheets-$heet 2,

'WMAM: XW MCWiWW No. 644337. Patented Mans, I900. A. WATKINS.

COMPOUND ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Apr. 3, 1899.) (N0 Modem 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

ma NORRIS PETERS co. PHOTU LiTl- Q.. WASNINGTOM I:v c.

llNiTnD STATES PATENT Ornrcn.

ALFRED WATKINS, OF DES MOINES, IOYVA. 1

COMPOUND ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 644,837, dated March 6, 1900. Application filed April 9,1399. Serial No. 711,485. (No model.)

To all ZUZI/OTH/ it may con-corn.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED WATKINS, a citizcn of the United States of America, residing at Des Moi hes, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a Compound Rotary Engine, of which the following is a specification.

My object is to construct and combine economically and compactly four distinct cylinders and four distinct auxiliary steam-chambers for utilizing steam advantageously in generating and accumulating power in a single or main shaft as required to apply the power for operating extraneous machinery.

A further object is to facilitate the regulation of power as required for different purposes by introducing initial or live steam simultaneously at different times to be utilized simultaneously in operating different kinds of extraneous machines for various kinds of work that require different degrees of power to do the work for which such machines may be specially adapted.

A further object is to utilize steam for adjusting the ends or heads of pistons in the cylinders as required to maintain them in steam-tight contact with the interior surfaces of the cylinders and also as required to compensate for wear.

A further object is to utilize the expansive force of steam advantageously as required to decrease the minimum amount of fuel and increase the maximum amount of power obtained from a given quantity of fuel.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as hereinafter set fortli,pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in. which- Figure 1 is an end view of the frame or casein which four cylinders and four auxiliary chambers are located. The end or head is removed and the gearing for operating the gates and valves in concert is shown in position as required in practical use. Fig. 2 is a side view of a quadruple rotary valve, and Fig. 3 is a corresponding view of a plug-valve adapted for opening and closing steam-passages communicating with the auxiliary steam-chambers and also adapted for reversing the engine. Fig. 4 shows the form of a plug-valve adapted for opening and closing steam-passages communicating with the auxiliary steam-chambers and the exterior to serve as exhaust-ports when initial steam is admitted into said chambers. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line a' x of Fig. 1, showing the relative positions of the quadruple rotary valves,the

ingress and egress ports, the supply-pipes, the exhaust-pipes, and a plug-valve for reversing the engine. Fig. 6is a sectional view .on the line y y of Fig. 1, showing the steampassage leading from one auxiliary chamber to another and the position of a plug-valve relative to a port communicating with a cylinder. Fig. 7 is a sectional View on the line 2 z of Fig. 1, showing the relative positions of the four distinct cylinders and the four distinct auxiliary steam-chambers.

The letter A designates a frame or case adapted for arranging and combining therein four distinct cylinders in such a manner as to coact advantageously in utilizing initial or live steam and also the expansive force of confined steam.

B, B B and B? are steam-cylinders l0= cated in pairs on the opposite sides of a driving-shaft A 0, O O and O are auxiliary steam-chambers in the walls of the case A.

Rotary gates A that have concaves Nextending from end to end, are fixed to the sh aft A to open and close communication with the cylinders B, B B and B as hereinafter set forth.

D and D are rotatable shafts in concentric positions with the two pairs of cylinders B and B and B and B The hubs D are fixed to the shafts D and D and each hub has a fixed piston D that contacts with the interior face of the wall of the cylinder in which the hub is located.

Quadruple rotary valves F and F are located in bores in the plane of a central line midway between the two pairs of cylinders B and B and B and B They are uniform in shape and function and adapted to regulate the passage of steam from supply-pipes.

F is the main supply-pipe that extends to F is a branch pipe that communicates with the auxiliary chamber 0 II is a four-way steam-cock that intersects the steam passage-way leading from the pipe F to the valve F and communicates with the branch pipe F to convey steam into the passage-way leading from the branch pipe F to the valve F and also communicates with the branch pipes F and F to convey initial steam to the auxiliary chambers O and C Dotted lines in Fig. 1 indicate the steam-passages through which steam is thus conveyed.

J and J 2 are rotatable plug-valves adapted for reversing the engine. They intersect the steam-passages leading to the valves F and F and also steam-passages leading from said valves to the cylinders B and B as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. These two valves J and J each have arms J that are pivotally connected at their ends by means of a rod J J is a handle fixed to the valve J.

Plug-valves K, K K and K intersect steam passage-ways that communicate with the quadruple valves F and F the auxiliary steam-chambers O and C and C and C and the exterior, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

In each end of each hub D I form a continuous groove near its circumference and a branch or intersecting groove in each side face of each piston D and pour molten metal in the grooves to produce a packing-ring m in each end face of each hub and a straight integral outward extension or in the side face of each piston D and the side face of each piston-head '2", that has an integral inner extension s, fitted in a corresponding slot in the outer end of the piston, as shown in Fig. 1. The piston-heads are thus adj ustably connected with the pistons in such a manner as to be subjected to steam-pressure from steam that enters the slots in the pistons to press the adjustable heads outward and into contact with the interior faces of the cylinders whenever the hubs are rotated in the cylinders.

The shafts A D, and D and the rotary valves F and F are connected by means of gearing, as shown in Fig. 1, in such a man: ner that they will be actuated in concert as required to regulate the passage of steam in producing power and conveying it from the main central shaft A or the shaftsD and D to operate extraneous machinery. It is obvious that two or three extraneous machines may be separately connected with these shafts and independently operated thereby at the same time and the power of the complete engine thus divided or all the power of the engine transmitted from either one of the three shafts.

In the practical operation of my invention the initial steam enters through the supplypipe F and is directed by the four-way plugvalve H through the passage -way leading through the valves J and F into the cylinder plug F. The revolution of the piston and hub is then continued by the expansive force of the confined steam, and the exhaustion oc curs through the valves J 2 and K and steampassages communicating with said valves into the auxiliary steam-chamber through passage-ways to the chamber 0 and from thence through ports at the inner ends of the valves J and F and from the chamber 0 into the cylinder B to rotate the hub and piston in that cylinder, and finally is condensed or escapes through the exhaust-pipesl When the supply is cut off from the cylinder B as stated, initial steam is conveyed through the branch pipe F and valves J and F into the cylinder B, as indicated by arrows, to actuate the hub and piston therein in the same manner and in concert with the hub and piston in the cylinder B and to exhaust through the valves J and K and communicating passages into the auxiliary steam-chamber O and from thence into the auxiliary steam-chamber 0 through ports in the inner end portions of the valves J and F and steam passage-ways communicating therewith andfrom the chamber G into the cylinder B to expend its force upon the piston and hub therein, and finally to condense or exhaust through the plug J and exhaust-pipes comm unicating therewith, as shown in Fig. 5.

It is obvious that all the operative parts that are geared together will coact and operate in concert and that the action of the engine may be readily reversed by moving the handle J of the reversing mechanism.

Having thus described the construction and function of each element and subcombination, the unitary actions of all the parts and the practical operation of my complete invention will be understood by persons familiar with the art to which it pertains.

What I therefore claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent therefor, is

1. In a compound rotary engine, aframe or case having four distinct cylinders in parallel pairs and four distinct auxiliary chambers communicating with the cylinders, bores or chambers for gates located midway between the pairs of cylinders and communicating therewith, rotary gates fitted in said bores or chambers and fixed to a rotatable shaft in bear= ings in the ends or heads of the case, mating quadruple rotary valves fitted in bores above and below the rotary gate and steam passageways communicating with said valves, the cylinders and the auxiliary chambers, as shown and described for the purposes stated.

2. In a compound rotary engine, a frame or case having four distinct cylinders in parallel pairs and four distinct auxiliary chambers communicating with the cylinders, bores or chambers for gates located midway between the pairs of cylinders and communicating therewith, rotary gates fitted in said bores or chambers and fixed to a rotatable shaft in hearings in the ends or heads of the case, mating quadruple rotary valves fitted in bores above and below the rotary gate and steam passage ways communicating with said valves, the cylinders and the auxiliary chambers, a supply-pipe communicating with one of the quadruple rotary valves and a branch pipe communicating with the other quadruple rotary valve, and means for operating the rotary gates and valves in concert with hubs having radial pistons located in the four cylinders, as shown and described for the purposes stated.

3. In acompound rotary engine, a frame or case having four distinct cylinders in parallel pairs and four distinct auxiliary chambers communicating with the cylinders, bores or chambers for gates located midway between the pairs of cylinders and communicating therewith, rotary gates fitted in said bores or chambers and fixed to a rotatable shaft in bearings in the ends or heads of the case, mating quadruple rotary valves fitted in bores above and below the rotary gate and steam passage ways communicating with said valves, the cylinders and the auxiliary chambers, a supply-pipe communicating with one of the quadruple rotary valves and a branch pipe com municating with the other quadruple rotary valve, and means for operating the rotary gates and valves in concert with hubs having radial pistons located in the four cylinders, a reversing-valve in each bore that conveys steam from the supply-pipes to the quadruple valves and armsextending from the reversing-valves and pivotal-ly connected by means of a rod and an arm extending from one of the reversingvalves for simultaneously operating the two reversing-valves, as shown and described for the purposes stated.

4. In a compound rotary engine, a frame or case having four distinct cylinders and four distinct auxiliary chambers communicating with each other, a supply-pipe, a passageway communicating with the four cylinders and four auxiliary chambers, a branch pipe communicating with the four cylinders and the four auxiliary chambers and two branch pipes each communicating direct with one of the auxiliary chambers, arranged and combined as shown and described to convey initial steam simultaneously into the cylinders and auxiliary chambers in the manner set forth for the purposes stated. 7

5. In a rotary steam-engine, a hub having a piston extending radially, a slot in the end face of the piston extending its entire length, a piston-head having an integral extension fitted in said slot, a continuous groove in each end face of the hub near its circumference, a groove in each end face of the piston intersecting the continuous groove in the hub, grooves in the ends of the head and its extension in alinement with the grooves in the ends of the piston and a metal packing in said grooves, as shown and described for the pur poses stated. a,

6. A compound rotary engine comprising a frame or case having four distinct cylinders in parallel pairs and four distinct auxiliary steam-chambers, a central bore between the two pairs of cylinders, rotary gates fitted in said central bore to communicate with the cylinders and fixed to a rotatable shaft that has bearings in the ends or heads of the case, a rotatable shaft extended through each pair of cylinders, a hub fitted in each cylinder and fixed to one of said shafts in the cylinders and provided with a piston extending from its periphery, a quadruple rotary valve located in a bore above the rotary gate and a corresponding valve located in a bore below the rotary gate, gearing connecting the shafts of the hubs in the cylinders, the shaft of the rotary gates between the pairs of cylinders and the quadruple rotary valves, a main supply-pipe, a four-way cook, a branch pipe com municating with the lower quadruple valve, two branch pipes each communicating with the four-way cock and one of the auxiliary chambers, steam-passages connecting all the cylinders, the rotary gates, the quadruple valves, the supply-pipes, exhaust-pipes and two reversing valves, all arranged and combined as shown and described to operate in the manner set forth for the purposes stated.

ALFRED WATKINS.

Witnesses:

R. H. Onwro,

THOMAS G. ORWIG. 

